IF we wretched sinners, O Lord God, had not loving promises of thy ten der mercy in the holy scriptures for the comfort of our weak consciences and sorrowful hearts, we see none other remedy, so great & infinite are our sins, but that ⟨p. xcix⟩we must needs despair. But forasmuch as what soever things are written,1 are written for our learning, that through patience and the comfort of scriptures, we may have hope, our sis although never so many & abominable do not so much make us sad, as thy loving kindness and tender mercies make us glad. Our since, we confess, are innumerable, but thy mercies are also infinite.2 Thou art that most gentle Lord, which wilt not the death of a sinner,3 but rather that he turn and live.4 Thou for repentance sake dissemblest and wilt not see the sins of men.5 Thou confessest, that thou cammest into this world to save sinners,6 to call not the righteous,7 but sinners unto repentance, and to seek up that, which was lost.8 Thou callest unto thee all them that are diseased and laden ⟨image 113⟩with the heavy burden of sin,9 and promisest that thou wilt ease them.10 Yea by thy prophet thou sayest▪ if we will wash & make clean our selves, put away our evil thoughts out of thy sight, cease from doing of evil, & violence, learn to do right apply our selves to equity, deliver the oppressed, help the fatherless to his right, & hear the widows con plaint, though our sis were as red as scarlet, yet shall they be made whiter than snow. And though they were like purple, yet shall they be made like white wool. Yea thou sayest more over, that for thy own sake, even for thy mercy & name sake thou wilt be good unto us, favour us, & so cast away all our sins behind thy back,11 that thou wilt never remember them more. O lord, thou art the god, which can not lie,12 thou art the self truth, thou art faithful in thy words & holy in all thy works.13 For according to ⟨p. xcx⟩these thy loving promises haste thou ever dealt with the children of men, whensoever they repented & turned unto thee. When they forsook their sinful living & called upon thy holy name, thou forgavest all their sins and he alest all their infirmities.14 Thou savedst their life from destruction and crowned them with mercy & loving kindness. For thou, O Lord God, art full of compassion & mercy, long suffering and of great goodness. Thou wilt not alway be chiding, neither wilt thou keep thy anger for ever.
IF we wretched synners, O Lord God, hadde not louīg promises of thy tē der mercy in the holye scriptures for the comfort of our weake conscyences and sorowful herts, we se none other reamedy, so great & infinit are our sinnes, but that ⟨p. xcix⟩we must nedes despayre. But for asmuch as what soeuer thynges are wrytten,1 are wrytten for oure learninge, that thorowe pacience and the comfort of scriptures, we mai haue hope, our sis although neuer so mani & abhominable do not so muche make vs sadde, as thy louynge kindenes and tēder mercyes make vs gladde. Oure syns, we confesse, are innumerable, but thi mercies are also infynyte.2 Thou art that most gentle Lord, whych wylt not the deathe of a sīner,3 but rather that he turn and lyue.4 Thou for repentaunce sake dissemblest and wylt not se the sinnes of men.5 Thou confessest, that thou cammest into thys world to saue sīners,6 to cal not ye righteous,7 but sinners vnto repē taūce, and to seke vp that, which was lost.8 Thou callest vnto thee al them that ar diseased and ladē ⟨image 113⟩wyth the heauy burden of synne,9 and promysest that thou wilt ease them.10 Yea by thi prophet thou saiest▪ if we will washe & make clene our selfs, put awai our euil thoughts out of thi sight, cese frō doīg of euil, & violēce, learn to do right apply our selfs to equitie, deliuer the oppressed, help ye fatherles to his right, & heare the widows cō plaint, though our sis wer as red as scarlet, yet shal they be made whiter thē snow. And thogh they wer like purple, yet shall they bee made like white wolle. Yea yu saiest more ouer, yt for thy own sake, euē for thy mercie & name sake yu wilt be good vnto vs, fauour vs, & so cast away al our sins behind thy back,
- 1Roma. x•.
- 2Ezec. xviii.
- 3Say•e. xi.
- 4Mathe. i.
- 5Luke. ii.
- 6i. Timo. ii.
- 7Mathe. ix. Luke. xvi.
- 8Mathe. xi.
- 9Luke. xix. Math. xi.
- 10E•aye. i.
- 11Isaiah. xliii.Esay. xliii.
- 12Titus. i. John▪ xv.Titus. i. Iohn▪ xv.
- 13Psal▪ cxlv.
- 14Psal. cxx• ▪
